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(No Model.)

P. W. DAVENPORT & P. W. TILLINGHAST. OUTLINE TRANSFER TOOL.

1 I0.388,841v Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

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FRANK W. DAVENPORT AND PARDON W. TILLTNGHAST, OF PROVIDENCE, RIIODE ISLAND.

OUTLINE-TRANSFER TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,841, dated September 4, 1888.

(No moh I.)

To all whom it may concern:

,Re it known that we, FRANK \V. DAVEN- PORT and IAR DON \V. TILLING uasr, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of Providence, State of lthode Island, have invented certain new and useful lmprovemcnts in Outlinc-tlransfcr Tools; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying d rawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

This invention relates to tools for copying the forms of any required ob jectsin other words, for taking the exact outlines ofany rcquircd surface, either regular or irregular.

It consists of a suitable frame provided with a number of thin rods adapted to slide crosswise thereof, and is used by sliding said rods, so that their ends shall be in contact with the surface required to be copied. They will retain the exact shape of the same, and may be used as a templet or pattern for reproducing such shape.

we are aware that similar devices have already been patented; but in such devices the sliding rods are combined with a rigid frame, and its range of usefulness is somewhat restricted, for the following reasons: A sinuous line, which mightbercprescnted by thethrcad of a common screw, cannot be followed by the ends of the rods, nor can the outline of a complete circle be taken, except in sections to be afterward united. Again,the frame of the tool when made of thin light material and of any considerable length will tend to separate from the sliding rods, and thus disarrange them.

The object of this invention is to provide a tool which shall be free from all the above objections, the first two of which we overcome by making the frame more or less flexible, and so arranging the parts that it can be bent in either of two planes which are at right angles to each other. The third objection-that is to say, the separation of the framewe meet and overcome by providing a peculiar tie piece or brace, which we place bctweenthe rods.

This invention further consists of certain means for retarding the sliding movement of the rods.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the tool. Figs. 2 and Sare top views. Fig. Sis asection through the lincwx of Fig. 1, showing the block [3 and its sliding connection. Fig. 4 is a side View, showing a method of retaining the frame to a curved form. Fig. 5 is a section through the line 7 y of Fig. 4, showing the lead retaining-piece and one of the tic-pieccs. Figs.

6 and 7 are sections showing tie pieces or braces. Fig. 9 is a section through the line in x of Fig. 8, and shows a springrod on the frame.

The tool comprises two principal partsnamely, a frame and a series of rods arranged to slide crosswise of such frame. As there are numerous forms of both frame and rods which can be used with this invention, and as certain combinations are found to give better results when the tool is intended to flex or bend in one particular plane than the same. combinations would give if it were intended to flex inanother plane, we do not confine ourselves to any particular forms or construction of parts, but will describe several arrangements which embody and fully illustrate our invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A A represent two thin strips,of suitable material, separated a short distance by the blocks ll and B. These strips and blocks will be [termed the frame of the tool. C represent thin sliding rods, which are arranged side by side in the frame,between the blocks 1; and it, said rods being free to slide lengthwise of each other and crosswise of the frame. Now, if the frame is laid out straight and both the parts A A are fastened firmly to both the blocks 1; and J3 and the sliding rods are in place, it is evident all at tempts to bend the frame to the shape shown in Fig. 4 will be futile; but if we loosen one of the parts A A from the block 11 and provide the loosened part with a slot, 1), to ro ceive the headed stud E, projecting from the block, thus forming a sliding connection, it will be found the frame can be freely bent in the manner desired; but as the parts A A are made, preferably, of spring metal they would naturally spring out straight when released. In order to prevent this and to hold the frame to the required shape, we have recourse to the retaining-piece, which is shown at G, Figs. 4 and 5, and consists of a simple piece of lead sufficiently heavy to prevent the frame from straightening itself. it may be attached to the frame in the manner shown in Fig. 5,where G is the retaining-piecc, A. A the parts of the frame, and )I is one of several tie pieces which hold the various parts together. Z is a flexible ribbon of steel, the same length and width as the retaining-piece, upon which it is laid for the purpose of aiding it to slide freely be ncath the hooked portions of the tie pieces.

Now, although a frame constructed as above will be operative, it will still be found imperfect, for if the rods are fitted loosely they are likely to slide out of place, and if fitted more tightly they will not slide with sufficient freedom. \Ve can overcome this difficulty by placing soft felt or similar material between the rubbing-surfaces that is to say, between the rods themselves, as shown at H, Fig. 1, or between the rods and the frame, as shown at J, Fig. 1,0r between both. The resultis that the rods may be slid easily and yet retain their place when lightly handled. For the purpose of clamping them firmly when it is desired to retain a particular form for a length of time,a set-screw, K, or other clamping device is provided.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have a frame provided with a series of rods which are free to slide lengthwise of each other and crosswise of the frame, and are guided in the direction oftheir movements by said frame. The frame can also be bent and retained to any desired curve.

The manner of using this tool is as follows: Vhen it is desired to copy a simple curved line lying all in one plane, as one-fourth the circumference of a wagon-wheel, the frame is first made straight and flat, and the rods are slid against the wheel so that their ends shall be in contact with the same, as shown in Fig. 2. If the tool is then removed from the wheel, the rods, being held by the friction arrangement before described, will retain the exact shape of the same. \Vhen it is desired to copy a line which curves in two planes, an illustra tion of which would be the edge of a stave taken from a barrel, the frame of the tool is first bent and retained to one of the curves, and the rods are then slid against the stave to get the other curve, thus giving the line required.

In tools as heretofore constructed it has been foundthattheparts A.A,whenmadeofthinlight material and of any considerable length, have 'a tendency to separate from the rods,allowing them to become disarranged, to obviate which we tic or brace said parts A A by inserting thin tie'picces M between the rods. Any form of tie-piece may be used which will perform that function. It may be fastened rigidly to either one or both the parts A Awhcn the tool is constructed with a rigid frame, or it may have a sliding connection with both of said parts, as shown in the sectional views, Figs. (3 and 7.

In Fig. 6 the body portion of the tie-piece passes between the parts A A of the frame, and the hooked portionsembrace the edges of the same, and thus hold them in position; and when the lead rctaining-picce isemployed said hooked portions may be utilized for holding it also in place, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows a tie-piece the body portion of which is provided with lugs L, which pass through slots in the parts A A,and are headed to hold the several parts together. This tiepiece is similar to the block B, except that it has a sliding connection with both the parts A A, instead of one. Itwill be seen that these particular tic-pieces are free to slide along the frame, and will present no obstruction to the proper clamping of the rods when the clamp ing device K is opcrated,and being quite thin they take up no appreciable amount of room between the rods.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a tool so modified as to flex or bend in a plane which is the same as that in which the rods slide. In this tool the frame is composed, as before, of the two strips A A and the lead retaining-piece, which is in this case placed between them. Said retainingpiece is provided with headed pins 0, which slide in slots in each of the parts A A, and so hold them together, while allowing them to slide when the tool is bent. The sliding rods U, employed with this frame are provided with a longitudinal aperture, l.,and are slipped over the frame, each rod being separated from its fellows by contact-pieces S, which are also provided with apertures T, and are slipped over the frame between the rods. At this point is experienced the same difficulty regarding the easy movement and the holding of the rods as appeared in the tool first de scribed, and we can meet it in the same way by placing soft fclt orsimilar material between the rubbing surfaces,or we may have recourse to a spring carried by the rod itself, or the rod can be made wholly or partly of elastic material, and arranged to press against the frame, or against the adjoining rods. Fig. 9 shows one form of spring-rod, in which the parts \V are made to spring toward each other and hug the frame, thus overcoming the difficulty referred to.

The manner of using this form of tool is shown in Fig. R,where the outline of a pitcher is being taken. The frame is first bent around the object, the retaining-piece holding it to such shape under ordinary handling. The rods are then slid against the object to acquire and retain the outlines, as before described.

The slotted rods above referred to have the advantage of lying close to the work when the tool is used as a templet or ruler, and are not separated therefrom by the thickness of the parts A A.

ICO

Having fully described our invention, what we elai m as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an outline tool, a flexible frame pro- 5 vided with a series of rods arranged approximately side by side, capable of sliding across the length of said frame,and guided in the direction of their movements by the frame.

2. In an outline-tool, a frame more or less is flexible, provided with a series of sliding rods arranged approximately side by side, in combination with means for holding it flexed or bent.

3. In an outline-tool, a frame provided with 15 a series of sliding rods arranged approximately side by side, raid rods being made wholly or partly of an elastic material or provided with such material for the purpose of holding themselves in place.

4. In an outline-tool, a frame provided with a series of sliding rods arranged approximately side by side, in combination with one or more tie pieces or braces inserted between said rods.

FRANK DAVENPORT. PARDON \V. 'IILLINGHAST.

W'itnesses:

\VILLIAM D. RANDA LL, BENJAMIN L. DnNNis. 

